Market Mavenship as an Influencer of Service Quality Evaluation

Abstract

As an initial step in studying individual characteristics as influencers of service quality evaluation, this research focuses on market mavenship as one attribute of consumers. Respondents in the study included 403 undergraduate marketing students at two universities who were asked to complete evaluations of consumption experiences. Results suggest that market mavenship is positively correlated to cognitive innovativeness, assertiveness, value consciousness, and opinion leadership. These qualities support the development of increased information, greater accuracy in service expectations and performance appraisal, and less variability in service quality rating on SERVQUAL-type scales. Reduced variability was observed in both experience-based and credence-based service settings.The authors gratefully acknowledge partial funding received through the Agribusiness Institute at Mississippi State University which helped make this project possible.